Originally Posted by
tdoczi
no, its just simple reality that the odds youre going to meet a gun or hatchet wielding psycho who is going to violently take on 15 or more strangers is up there with being hit by lightning crossing rocky top or having a sudden spontaneous rockslide sweep you off of charlie's bunion.
95% of the people in the world, if theyre in the situation of being the thru hiker who is there and doesnt belong, theyre going to leave if you nicely, but firmly, point out to them that its the right thing to do.
now i suppose theres exists a possibility of encountering 20 thru hikers and youre the only one with a reservation for the night, but i again refer you to the part about the lightning, though the odds are probably not quite as long.